Craig Cumming: Otago Sparks Coach on the teams loss in the T20 Super Smash and looking ahead

Day two of domestic cricket's T20 Super Smash is done and dusted.

Alexandra played host to the men's and women's doubleheader yesterday between Otago and Canterbury.

The women's game saw Otago go down to Canterbury despite an initially strong start to the season.

"Alexandra, Molyneu Park is a beautiful venue, but one that we left with our tail between our legs actually," Otago Sparks Coach Craig Cumming said. 

LISTEN ABOVE. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldegrave from News Talks.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
EDB just after eight thirty this morning, eleven past eight.
As though all the Analysis.

Speaker 3 (00:17):
Sold, the talk, all the Sport, the All.

Speaker 1 (00:20):
Sport Breakfast on your home of sport News TALKSB.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
We'll match day two of Domesta Cricket's T twenty Supersmash
done and dust a beautiful Alexandra played host to the
men's and women's double header yesterday between Otago and Canterbury.
The women's games saw Otago go down to Cannonbury twelve runs.
Was the margin in the end and interesting because Otago
have had a great start to the season and the

(00:46):
Halliburton Johnston Shield topping that by quite some margin. So
first up loss for them, Otago vaults though getting the
win in the men's game by ten runs. Let's head
into the Sparks camp now and friend of the show,
coach of the Otago Sparks is Craig. Come in on
to you, Craig make going yeah, very good, well, Alexandra,

(01:07):
what a beautiful venue that we are lucky enough to
have as part of the competition. That sort of gets
written into the drawer every summer Craig.

Speaker 3 (01:14):
Yeah, it does. Yeah, we had a couple of years.
I think we went to Queenstown and back to alex
last year and we've got three games there. Actually we
got tomorrow and then the thirty first, so a wonderful
part of the country. And yeah, yesterday, I mean the
weather wasn't great sort of during that Christmas Day, Boxing Day,
but yesterday it really heated up and propers Central Otago

(01:35):
Day And yeah, Alexandra Molin New Park is a beautiful venue,
but one that we left with their tail between our thegs. Actually,
you know, the Magicians, you know, we had them in
a bit of trouble. We had them I think forty
odd for five and Pundi, the Indian overseas player, played
beautifully and got sixty and got them through to one
thirty seven, and you know, we're in a pretty good spot.
We were ninety odd for three, but we sort of

(01:56):
had three overs and that and that sort of between
fourteen and seventeen where we got a bit stuck and yeah,
just come up short. So you know, our first I
suppose you know, first game, first loss. But we've been
playing well. It's a good lesson about the game of
cricket that you've got to You've got to keep working
hard and keep learning. And the good thing for us
is we've got a short turn around. We get to
play again tomorrow, so take those lessons. We'll have a

(02:18):
bit of a chat this morning and then get back
back on the boat. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
I was going to ask about that, Craig, because it'd
be pretty happy only only one of the top five
batters for Cannabory getting double figures, so that it would
be pretty impressed to her with how things started off
for you there.

Speaker 3 (02:32):
Yeah, absolutely, Yeah, it was they got the good start
the first couple overs, and then yeah, we managed to
pull it back and Haley Jensen and then the Black
did a really good job. And then Kirsty Gordon, our
overseas player, along with Eden Carson put on the brakes.
But sometimes you got to tip your hat. Pundi played
beautifully and in the woman's game, you can only have
four fielders back and she was able to access the

(02:53):
gap wherever it was and put pressure on us and
didn't get out of control. I mean one thirty seven.
You know, I think you should chase down. It was
a good pitch on most occasions, so you know, it's
a different format, it's a different game, like just getting
used to I suppose the intensity and the feeling of
dot balls and the pressure that puts on you that

(03:14):
you know, we don't get a big lead in when
it comes to playing twenty twenty and you don't get
a lot of practice games off any So it was
just a good reminder, yes, today of the game and
the way it needs to be played in some of
the core skills and what you need to do. So
you know, we did lots of good things, but it's
going to be a really tough competition. I think in
the women's game, I think it's going to be really close,

(03:34):
and I think you'll find, you know, everyone will have
success and everyone will probably have a little bit of
a defeat and that's actually great for the game. So
but you know, we've got we've got to learn our lessons,
we've got to get better, and you know we're looking
forward to We've got Auckland tomorrow, so that's going to
be a good matchup as well.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
And Craig, obviously I mentioned at the start Hallibert and Johnston.
Shield's gone pretty well for you and the Sparks six
from six. So how much focus do you put from
a coach's perspective on the change of formats and adapting
to try and continue that success in the shorter format.

Speaker 3 (04:06):
Yeah, it's a very different game. I mean fifty over cricket. Yeah,
well clearly these fifty overs. And you know, I always
think you've got more players need to play a part
in what you're doing. You know, you've got to do
things for a longer period of time. And whereas in
twenty twenty, one player or one over can make a
big difference. You can lose momentum or create momentum and

(04:27):
one over and that's literally one player. So you know,
it's as I said, we don't get to practice a
lot of it and play a lot of it before
you get underway and just with the nature with Christmas
and travel and that's that's everyone as well. You know
some teams are starting later. We've got quite a lot
of games early on. So you know, it's you know,
you've got to put a light on the end after
the fifty over stuff. You know, while your joy the

(04:50):
success you've had there, you've got to start again. And yes,
that was a good reminder for us about that and yeah,
it's it's just making sure you stay confident, you keep
believing in yourself and you know the game is about
scoring runs again, but you just got to remind yourself
that also you've got a little bit more time. But
it's certainly a different way of playing the game and
it's an exciting one. But you know, it just takes

(05:11):
a couple of times. Sometimes it takes us a little
bit to get used to that that, you know, the change.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
Of pace and Susie baits ever reliable as always fifty
off forty one straight from White Ferdin's duties. Can you
just tell us what her presence and that team, you know,
means for the wider squad, Craig, especially some of the
younger players you've got in the sparks. Looks like Craigs
dropped off. I thought he was going silent on talking

(05:37):
about Susie Bates there, but yees, she got fifty off
forty one. We'll see if we can get Craig back
up on the line to continue chatting their day's cricket
and Alexandria yesterday, but yes, it was Canterbury batting first,
and as Craig mentioned, in a real spot of bother.
They were thirty for five. They were battling away, the
Magicians eventually posting one hundred and thirty seven for seven

(06:01):
from their twenty overs and then Otago wrapping up with
one hundred and twenty five for seven, So twelve run margin, Craig,
think we have got you back now. I was going
to ask just about Susie Bates before the line that
went funny Craig fifty forty one. Can you just just
tell us what her presence and the team does, you know,
back from White Fern's Judy's all her. You know the

(06:23):
history she's had with cracking and what it does, especially
to the younger players on the team.

Speaker 3 (06:27):
Yeah, yeah, call fail Actually just dropped off. Sorry about that. Oh,
I know, Susie is huge. I mean, you know she
is probably you know the reason the sparks are what
the sparks and even what our cricket is what it
is at the moment. You know, she she's been you know,
I suppose that the trailvelas are through that time and
just getting her back, and you know, our big goal
is Susie turns up and just enjoys herself and has

(06:48):
a lot of fun players with some freedom, and I
thought yesterday she did that. She played beautifully and maybe
just left her with a weabit much to do in
that back end. But you just always want Susie to
be part of your side. We don't know how long
Susie's got left in the game, how much time she
will have, especially played for the Spars, with the way
the schedule looks after the Super Smash, so you know,

(07:09):
we always want to embrace it. She's not captain this year,
we wanted to play with some freedom, just enjoy not
having to worry about all those extra things. And Haviy
Gens and I thought did a great job yesterday captaining
the team as well when Susie's always there as lieutenant
on the left shoulder, so you know, now it's great,
and I mean even you know after the game, there
are lots of young boys and girls, you know, chasing
Susie's autograph, and you know there's a lot of people

(07:31):
at the ground who come to come to support her
because of what she's done. So we're very, very fortunate
to have her in our side, but also in our competition,
and we've got to embrace having her around because you know,
we're not going to have it for a lot lot longer,
so well, got to make sure we enjoy having Susie
on the field for us. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (07:47):
Great, and from an otigo perspective, the men's camp would
be pretty happy. What did just sort of make of
what you saw for them from them against Canterbury yesterday?

Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah it was there was swings and flows. You know,
they got off to a bit of a bit of
a tough start, but they fought really well. Max Chu
played brilliantly up the order. He was captain side. Luke
Georgian's injured at the moment, so you know, anytime a guy,
you know, can get eighty off forty, you're going to
set yourself up. And I think they were reasonably happy
with a total. And then you know Canterbury got off

(08:16):
to a good start and they were able to probably
cruising on stage, but they were able to pull wickets back.
We're going to be playing on the same pitch for
the same all three games, so Splin did a really
good job for them, you know, and sometimes the part
time spinners, but they'll be delighted they you know, to
get off to the good start because that's a good
Cannbury side. Some big names, so you know, I don't
necessarily say twenty twenty is about momentum, but they did

(08:37):
something that we were able to do. They got off
to a good start and picked up the four points
and it always makes you feel a bit more relaxed
when you start the competition with a win.

Speaker 2 (08:44):
Yeah awesome. Hey, well, Craig, appreciate you joining us. All
the best and you continue to sun yourself and beautiful
Alexandria and all the best for that. All the best
for their match tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (08:53):
Yeah, it's meant to be thirty two degrees today, so
it might be a short training and find the shade coops.
I can tell you that.

Speaker 2 (08:59):
Oh very good, but you enjoy it, mate, appreciate your time.
Thanks mate, they were cheers great coming there obviously host
here at Newstalk ZB and gold Sport and also the
coach of the Otago Sparks women's cricket team and the
Dream eleven Super Smash which continues tomorrow. So break today
because the black Caps are in action at Mount Tamongonui

(09:21):
and as you heard Craig mention there at Targa will
be hosting Auckland at Alexandra again in the men's and
women's competition. Then they'll also be returning there on Tuesday
next week New Year's Eve to host Central Districts. New
Year's Day is going to see Hamilton play hosts with
Northern Districts hosting Wellington. So that's sort of what lies

(09:41):
ahead with the double headed formats of the Super Smash
over the next few days. And it is a seven
o'clock start this evening at Bay Oval and Mount Mongonui
for t twenty number one between the Black Caps and
Sri Lanka. You can catch live commentary of that one
over on the ACC the Alternative Commentary Collective on iHeartRadio,

(10:03):
bringing you all the action of the international home Summer
of cricket.

Speaker 1 (10:08):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk set be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio